The Teacher and the Student

Once a teacher said to a particular student, "You have to form a sentence or a few sentences containing the words 'something' and 'everything'."

The student thought for a long time. He said, "I am finding it difficult to form a sentence using both 'something' and 'everything'."

The teacher said, "I will help you out in case you cannot do it."

The young boy finally gave his answer: "An executive is he who is supposed to know something of everything."

The teacher clapped enthusiastically for the student.

Then the young boy gave another example: "A technician is he who knows something perfectly, whereas a barber is he who knows everything imperfectly."

The teacher was very happy.

Finally the student said, "There is something of truth in the statement: 'A lawyer ruins everything'. There is more truth in the statement: 'A doctor butchers everything'. And there is one hundred per cent truth in the statement: 'My little dog eats up everything'."

The teacher was so thrilled with her brilliant student. She said, "I did not know all these things. I am the one who posed the question, but you have answered it to my full satisfaction."

Excerpt from `Life's Bleeding Tears And Flying Smiles,<http://www.srichinmoylibrary.com/sri-chinmoy-life-tears-smiles/part4/3.html>`__ Part 4 by Sri Chinmoy.